...eRenee Levy S. AP English Hamlet Essay To Love or Not to Love? That is the question. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic play; it’s full of uncertainties and revenge. One of the biggest doubts I had while reading the book was: Did Hamlet really loves Ophelia? This question popped up in my mind many times as I read the novel. Although there is much evidence that makes us think he just wanted to use her and he didn’t really love her, there is even more evidence that disprove those ideas. Through different actions like sending her a letter, being jealous, and declaring his love to her directly, is how Hamlet shows Ophelia that he is truly in love with her in his own way. The first time we saw Hamlet’s love for Ophelia was in Act 3, Scene 1 (page 147). In this part, Hamlet confesses his love directly to her by saying: “I did love you once.” That is our first piece of evidence. Some readers may think that he didn’t love her anymore because he retracts himself by saying “I loved you not.” However, this is because of the fact that Hamlet knew that Polonius was spying on them. We are sure about this because he after asks her: “where’s your father.” This demonstrates that Hamlet wanted Ophelia to know that he loved her but he is retracting his words in order to make Polonius think that he has nothing to do with her daughter anymore. Why did Hamlet wanted Polonius to think that way? The reason was because he knew that Claudius and Polonius were planning something...
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...Hamlet suddenly opened Ophelia’s door in shock and Ophelia glared at him absentmindedly. He grabbed her hand physically and observed her like there was a spider on her face. Ophelia examined him in confusion thinking about what is wrong with him. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet shows Ophelia how much he loves her with a letter that he writes her. However, sometimes he does not show it at times. Although, when he finds out that Ophelia died, he shows everyone that he loves her with all his heart. Hamlet undeniably loves Ophelia because he cares, he is protective, and he made sure she was happy. Hamlet shows he loves Ophelia by reacting strongly after she dies. For example, when Hamlet finds out that Ophelia died, he screams to Laertes,”Will you cry? Fight? Stop eating? Cut yourself? Drink vinegar? Eat a crocodile? I’ll do all that,” (Shakespeare 297). Hamlet explains to Laertes that he will do anything to have her around one more time. He is devastated that Ophelia died. He just wishes to spend one more moment with her if she were alive. For example,...
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...bride” I wanted to know why you still married me if you don’t love me, Gertrude. I never felt so much love until I got married to you. Your love to me is a lot different than King Hamlet. He was always busy with state affairs and fights and he never cares about me as much as you do. I wasn’t in love with you when I first got married to you, I have no other choices. What do you mean by “no other choices”? I know that once the King Hamlet is dead, I will lose everything. I will be lacking both strength and power. I won’t stay as a queen forever, because a woman is not allowed to take over a kingdom. I will be a useless woman when I am not the queen anymore. You aren’t doing this for yourself, are you? You were trying to protect Hamlet because he is your only son. You want him to take over the kingdom in the future. I know that’s your purpose, right? You will do everything that could keep you as a queen. Marrying a man that you don’t love, like me! Yes, I first married you because I wanted to protect Hamlet. I wanted him to take over this kingdom in the future; this was always his kingdom and never changed. I didn’t love you at the first place because I suspect you were the one who killed King Hamlet. This thought changed after the death of King Hamlet, you supported and sympathized me and gave me a solution to overcome the situation and grief. You loved me so much and you had been nice to me. A nice person like you won’t kill anybody. I am thy murderer and I never...
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...approach. Between the Franco Zeffirelli’s version and the Laurence Oliver’s version of this tragedy, characters are distinctively played. While Hamlet’s life is crumbling in front of him, those surrounded, specifically Ophelia, are also being affected. In this play, Ophelia...
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...through his love for Ophelia, getting revenge on the King and those who have hurt him, and his suicide. To commence, Hamlet and Ophelia have a relationship where on one side Ophelia’s love is a true feeling and on the other Hamlet’s love is more of a physical obsession. As Hamlet’s obsession with Ophelia grows he becomes more physical with their relationship in public: “Hamlet: (Laying down at Ophelia’s feet) Lady, shall I lie in your lap? Ophelia: No, my lord. Hamlet: I mean, my head upon your lab”(III. ii. 108-110), and continues on with “That’s a fair thought to lie between maids’ legs” (III. ii. 114). As Hamlet wants a more physical relationship with Ophelia, he starts to make more public scenes. This evolves his obsession because she does not stop his physical actions in public. Also, Hamlet becomes more protective over Ophelia and her actions and reputation around the castle: “We are/arrant knaves all, believe none of us. Go thy ways to a/nunnery” (III. i. 128-130). Hamlet wants Ophelia sent to a nunnery to protect her chastity. He does not want her reputation to be ruined around the castle because of his actions and therefore, his best interests are thought of for his love Ophelia. Finally, Hamlet demonstrates his love for Ophelia when he announces how much he loves her at her burial: “I lov’d Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers/Clould not with all their quantity of love/Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?” (V. i. 255-257). Hamlet’s desires towards his love for Ophelia...
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...his insanity was quickly developed at the beginning when the sudden death of his father, King Hamlet, was announced to him. The tragic Hamlet plotted to murder his father’s murderer, thus the act of madness was introduced. His antic disposition affects his judgment, destroys relationships and creates a belief that he is truly mad. Throughout the play, Hamlet is consumed with anger of his father’s death which causes him to act through emotion and without reason, thus affecting his judgement. Hamlet’s main goal is to avenge the death of his father. His actions to do so are hindered because of the irrational decisions he has made through the antic disposition he has put on that has finally led to his misguided judgement. Hamlet’s irrational decisions began after the death of his father. As any normal human being would be allowed to grieve, Hamlet was not, he was expected to accept the death of his father and move on. “Do not for ever with thy vailed lids, Seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know'st 'tis common. All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity.” (Act 1, Scene 2. 69-74) These lines spoken by the Queen, Hamlet’s mother, are proof that Hamlet is obliged to accept his father’s death. With little time to grieve and a mother that seems to care less about her deceased husband, Hamlet’s mind was given the perfect recipe for insanity and the different path of judgement he has taken. At midnight, a mysterious ghost appeared to Hamlet in the shape of his father...
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...ROLES Hamlet: Son Huynh Laertes: Queenie Lee Ophelia: Cecilia Young Horatio: Sam Ng Messenger/ Captain: Mark Bengco Queen (Gertrude): Maggie Guan Gentleman: Brian Flores Narrator: Tracy Santa Ana Fortinbras: Hung Dam King (Claudius) Eric Tan Sailor: Hannah Ramierz Guildenstern: Norman Chen Rosencrantz: Delmy Lopez ACT IV Scene 1: [Enter KING and QUEEN, with ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN] King: What’s wrong? Where’s Hamlet? Queen: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, can you give us a moment? [ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN exit] You won’t believe what I saw today! King: What do you mean? What did Hamlet do? Queen: He was acting crazy! He was mad as hell. He apparently heard something behind the curtains and thought it was a rat so he pulled out his knife and stabbed it. The rat turned out to be Polonius! King: What?! Well, well, well.. what should we do now?! We were supposed to keep an eye on him and now look what happened… We can’t let anyone know about this. Where is he? Queen: He took the Polonius’s body with him. But please don’t be too harsh on him. He’s my only son. I think he regrets what he has done. King: Gertrude, you don’t understand. We need to send Hamlet away before anyone finds out about this. Rosencrantz! Guildenstern! Come in! [Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN] Listen to me, you two. Hamlet just killed Polonius and took the body with him. You need to find him immediately and bring the body back to church. HURRY! [ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN...
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...Ophelia: A Daughter or a Yes Man? Ophelia is a beautiful and simple-minded girl who was Hamlet’s significant other. Ophelia the epitome of a flat character allows throughout her life the commands of Polonius and Laertes to shape her actions. Ophelia was incapable to neither live nor think for herself because of all the pressure from the men of her life to be something she was not. The weakness of her brain and will, which allowed her submission to the men in her life, consequently pulverized her expectation for Hamlet's affection and at last brought about her madness and demise. Ophelia’s father Polonius plays the most influential role on Ophelia’s actions, throughout the play we see Ophelia do whatever is asked of her. This is first seen in Act I when Laertes shares his words of wisdom to his sister Ophelia and Polonius shows up. The last thing she told Laertes when he said “Farewell Ophelia, and remember well What I have said you” was “Tis in my memory locked, And you yourself shall keep the key of it.” Yet as soon as Polonius asks what he told her Ophelia instantly responds “Something about Hamlet.” Some things should not be shared, if siblings are speaking keep it between siblings but, when it comes to confidentiality if Polonius asks Ophelia is telling it all on demand. It’s apparently clear Ophelia loves Polonius and holds respect for him but it’s also clear Polonius has full control her brain; referring to Act I when Polonius questions Hamlet’s true love for Ophelia...
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...without getting into any kind of trouble, and take revenge for his father's death. Claudius and Polonius decide to find the reason behind Hamlet's madness. They both make a plan to spy on Hamlet to see why he is acting the way he is. Through spying on Hamlet, Claudius figures out that he is dangerous, and a threat to him. Hamlets deceiving also directs to the death of Polonius and his daughter Ophelia. As well as generating Laertes to take revenge on Hamlet for producing the death of his family. After multiple attempts to murder Hamlet fail, Claudius and Laertes decide to team up. They both try to murder Hamlet and get rid of him once and for all. Each of these plans directly or indirectly leads to Hamlet's deceit and his death. Hamlets desire for revenge causes his insanity. Hamlet speaks to the ghost of his father, he figures out that Claudius murdered him to achieve that throne of Denmark. At this point, Hamlet is very frustrated and disappointed. Hamlet then makes a plan to get revenge by finishing Claudius. To complete this act, Hamlet must act inane to take out the suspicion from himself. Here, Hamlet warns his peers that he will put on an "antic disposition", which results in the delay of Hamlet's revenge. Hamlet says to Horatio, "How strange or odd some'er I bear myself as I perchance hereafter shall think to put an antic disposition on" (1.5.170-2). Hamlet's words show that from...
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...How Much Do Lady Macbeth and Ophelia Have in Common? Although obvious polar opposites, Lady Macbeth and Ophelia are connected, their descent into insanity and eventual demise are their one liking variable. Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famously frightening and powerful female characters. At the start of the play, she is a loving wife to her husband but at the same time very ambitious, as shown by her immediate determination for Macbeth to be king. This outcome will benefit her and her husband equally. She immediately concludes that "the fastest way" for Macbeth to become king is by murdering King Duncan. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth knows her husband well. She thinks he may be too kind in order to murder King Duncan. At first Macbeth agrees but later wavers in his decision, but Lady Macbeth assures him that being king is what he really wants and that this is the best for both of them. So, in response to Macbeth's uncertainty, Lady Macbeth manipulates him by questioning his manhood and his love for her. She is successful because regardless of his own conscience, Macbeth carries out their plan of murder, by himself. The almost superhuman strength Lady Macbeth gains for the occasion and her cunning ability are shown through her meticulous attention to detail regarding the murder. However, though Lady Macbeth seems strong in her initial pursuits, she proves her weakness when she is unable to commit the act herself or deal with the consequences of her actions. Lady Macbeth's...
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...and a character analysis combing with Oedipus complex, Electra complex together with the author’s personal reactions. Keywords: drama review; technical arts; performance, character analysis Contents I. Introduction………………………………………………………………………....3 II. Technical arts………………………………………………………………………4 A. Lighting &Music.……………………………………………………………..4 B. Stage Properties…………………………………………………………..........4 C. Costumes………………………………………………………………………4 III. Editing& Adaption………………………………………………………………..5 IV. Performance……………………………………………………………………….6 A. Hamlet…………………………………………………………………………...6 B. Ophelia………………………………………………………………………….6 C. Gertrude…………………………………………………………………………7 V. Character Analysis………………………………………………………………....7 A. Hamlet………………………………………………………………………….7 B. Ophelia…………………………………………………………………………8 C. Gertrude………………………………………………………………………..9 VI. Conclusion…………………………………………………………….................9 Introduction The original play of Hamlet is a masterpiece describing prince Hamlet’s revenge to his uncle—Claudius, who had killed Hamlet’s father and married his mother. The drama adapted by Wuhan University, mainly focuses on the “nunnery scene” and “closet scene”, revealing Hamlet’s conflicts between Ophelia and Queen Gertrude as well as his controversial feelings and hesitation of revenge in an impressive way....
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...Act I, scene i Summary On a dark winter night outside Elsinore Castle in Denmark, an officer named Bernardo comes to relieve the watchman Francisco. In the heavy darkness, the men cannot see each other. Bernardo hears a footstep near him and cries, “Who’s there?” After both men ensure that the other is also a watchman, they relax. Cold, tired, and apprehensive from his many hours of guarding the castle, Francisco thanks Bernardo and prepares to go home and go to bed. Shortly thereafter, Bernardo is joined by Marcellus, another watchman, and Horatio, a friend of Prince Hamlet. Bernardo and Marcellus have urged Horatio to stand watch with them, because they believe they have something shocking to show him. In hushed tones, they discuss the apparition they have seen for the past two nights, and which they now hope to show Horatio: the ghost of the recently deceased King Hamlet, which they claim has appeared before them on the castle ramparts in the late hours of the night. Horatio is skeptical, but then the ghost suddenly appears before the men and just as suddenly vanishes. Terrified, Horatio acknowledges that the specter does indeed resemble the dead King of Denmark, that it even wears the armor King Hamlet wore when he battled against the armies of Norway, and the same frown he wore when he fought against the Poles. Horatio declares that the ghost must bring warning of impending misfortune for Denmark, perhaps in the form of a military attack. He recounts the story of King...
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... Betrayal, in Hamlet is surrounding everyone with the air they breathe in Denmark. Hamlet shows the theme of betrayal out of the these three characters: Ophelia, Gertrude, and Hamlet. Ophelia has taken her own life over a man who has betrayed her. When Ophelia’s father, Polonius forces her to hand him the love letters Hamlet has sent to her, right then and there Hamlet thinks she has betrayed him for doing that act. But in reality Polonius has betrayed his own daughter, because of going their her own personal belongings. Hamlet starts rumors...
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...The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark ASCII text placed in the public domain by Moby Lexical Tools, 1992. SGML markup by Jon Bosak, 1992-1994. XML version by Jon Bosak, 1996-1999. Simplified XML version by Max Froumentin, 2001. The XML markup in this version is Copyright © 1999 Jon Bosak. This work may freely be distributed on condition that it not be modified or altered in any way. Table of Contents Act 1 .................................... p. 5 Scene 1 .................................... p. 5 Scene 2 .................................... p. 11 Scene 3 .................................... p. 20 Scene 4 .................................... p. 24 Scene 5 .................................... p. 28 Act 2 .................................... p. 36 Scene 1 .................................... p. 36 Scene 2 .................................... p. 40 Act 3 .................................... p. 61 Scene 1 .................................... p. 61 Scene 2 .................................... p. 67 Scene 3 .................................... p. 81 Scene 4 .................................... p. 84 Act 4 .................................... p. 92 Scene 1 .................................... p. 92 Scene 2 .................................... p. 93 Scene 3 .................................... p. 95 Scene 4 .................................... p. 97 Scene 5 .................................... p. 100 Scene 6 .................................... p. 108 Scene 7 ......................
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...She was not given any responsibilities with matters of state, but instead spent most of her free time gathering flowers. To replicate her love for her father and brother, she became completely loyal to both of them. Even though her love for Hamlet was strong, she is more loyal to her father and obeys him when he tells her not to see Hamlet or accept any letters that he writes. Hamlet loved Ophelia and treated her with respect and tenderness. She loves and defended him to the very end despite his brutal actions. She was incapable of defending herself, and by her timid responses, it revealed that she was suffering. Her weakness and innocence were detrimental to her ability to cope with numerous traumatic event after another that followed. Hamlet became the source of all her emotional pain and when her father died due to his hatred of Hamlet she became insane. She was a symbol of incorruption and virtue to everyone even in her insanity except...
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